


Guard Your Heart

by pastelinings



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Angst, Fantasy, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mentions of Death, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-17
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-06-11 21:40:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15324909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pastelinings/pseuds/pastelinings
Summary: In a world where fairies guard human children, fairy guardian Kwon Soonyoung is assigned to protect Lee Jihoon, a broke college student, by mistake. Apparently the fairy council thought Jihoon was much younger than he actually was because of his "youthful looks".First meetings between them are rough and chaos ensues as they get to know each other. However with the help of college deadlines, a sudden twist of events, and a bit of fairy dust, the two soon discover that love blooms in the most unexpected of circumstances; in a rather magical way.





	1. The Midsummer Morning News

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> This is the first time I'm sharing something I've written publicly, so I do hope you all enjoy it! I haven't really had any experience in writing fanfiction, since I've only done two works (both of which I gave to a friend as a present), so I am also a bit nervous. Regardless, I'm honestly really excited about this, and I hope that you'll stick around and join me in the adventure.
> 
> You can find me on twitter as well at faerieuji, if you'd like to talk about the story, ask questions, fangasm or just be friends! I'm all for it!
> 
> Again, thank you for taking the time to read through this and I do hope you have fun!
> 
> I do not own Seventeen or any of its members.

 

_“You might not believe in magic or fairy dust, but if there is one thing you should believe in, it’s love.”_

 

 

It was in the middle of a pleasant summer morning when Soonyoung had heard the news.

 

The fairy was beyond ecstatic (as if you couldn’t tell from the twinkle in his eyes, the glow of his skin and the spring in his step) when he skipped towards the main office of the Fairy Council. What could have possibly made Soonyoung this happy? Was it the birds that sang in the morning? The sweet berries that he had eaten for breakfast? The sound of young fairies laughing as they played? Well, if you ask Soonyoung, he would most definitely say “yes!” to all of those, except that the news he heard was something more wonderful; an event that he didn’t expect to come so soon.

You see, Kwon Soonyoung had been given his first official assignment as a fairy guardian, which explains his current trip to the Fairy Council for an orientation.

Soonyoung had always dreamt of being a fairy guardian for as long as he could remember. Make no mistake though, fairies could get into a variety of occupations with their many talents, like farming, baking, fashion, floral work, and even engineering and repair; though unlike the other fairies who were very much content with their lives, Soonyoung had always been a curious one.

Ever since his mother had mentioned it to him during his childhood (specifically in bedtime stories), Soonyoung had longed to visit the Other Side of the fairy realm (a.k.a. the Human Realm); a place where non-magic or non-fairy folk lived. Only the fairy guardians were given permission to enter and stay on the Other Side for long periods of time, and Soonyoung had always been itching to find out what was out there, what was beyond the world he lived in. Do their trees sing and sway to the breeze? Do they have seasonal feasts or magic shoes that tap to a rhythm if you don’t know how to dance? Were the berries there as sweet? Do they even have berries? And besides, what made that realm so special that fairies had to be trained to protect and guard children?

 

Ah yes, children.

 

It was a guardian’s duty to keep an eye on human children and protect them to the greatest of their abilities. This was done because it was a way for fairies to do their own share of good in the universe, a way for fairies to make sure that every form of life grew and was nurtured in the best way. This was also why they made sure it was the children who they looked after since “the world and the wonders that come with it” were always revealed in one’s youth, or at least that’s what Soonyoung learned from all those thick textbooks, long lectures and training (though he would be the judge of all that himself once he got started on his assignment).

After showing his fairy ID to the guard at the entrance, Soonyoung was now on his way up to the top floor of the Fairy Council Building. He was honestly so giddy that he felt like he could break dance in the lift.

As soon as the familiar “ _ding_ ” of the elevator signalled his arrival, he went straight to the receptionist area, rushing over to confirm his appointment. A stern looking woman greets him at the desk, her hair held tightly into a bun as she eyes him suspiciously beneath her thin rimmed glasses; looking over the ID he presented to her.

“Kwon Soonyoung? Hm, you look awfully jolly. You have an appointment with Director Yoon, I believe.”

Soonyoung smiles and nods eagerly, holding on to his folder as the receptionist gestures towards her right.

“His office is the final door at the very end of that hallway. It’s pretty hard to miss.” She says flatly.

Soonyoung bows and gives her his thanks (and a smile) before following her directions, his eyes trailing over every door that he passes, each one designed in different colors, shapes, and sizes (as if to represent specific departments). Though admittedly excited, Soonyoung realizes that he’s beginning to feel a tad bit nervous as well, the material of his white polo slowly sticking to him because of the thin sheet of sweat forming on his body. He takes a sharp intake of breath to try and calm his nerves,  loosening his black tie slightly in the process with his free hand, as his steps gradually quicken in pace.

Just like the lady said, there was just no way Soonyoung could possibly miss Director Yoon’s Office. How could he when it was practically the largest door among all the others that he had just passed in the hallway? Not only did its size signify its grandeur, but the gold engraving of trees and flowers that outlined the magnificent door spoke for itself.

Well, one could not expect any less from royalty.

Though not explicitly announced or stated (due to times becoming more modern) Director Yoon was not only the head of the Fairy Council, but he was also the Fairy King; royal in blood and in position. As king of all the fairies, it was also one of his main duties to have surveillance and control over the guardians who go in and out of the fairy and human realms; making sure that assignments were given appropriately to each guardian and that there was order in managing all the affairs related to said realms. Director Yoon was most of all, responsible for every life in the fairy kingdom, and that included the guardians who would spend most of their time away from their home.

Soonyoung was still awestruck at the massive door in front of him, his mouth still slightly open in admiration, when the door to Director Yoon’s office suddenly burst open; a man with a striped suit swinging the door rather violently while clutching onto a rather large workload of papers.

“S-Shit!” Soonyoung exclaimed, clutching onto his folder in shock. The man was apparently just as surprised, as he let out a rather high-pitched squeak when he saw Soonyoung in front of him.

“Good golly, don’t scare me like that, young man! Don’t you know that it’s best to knock if you have business here, especially if it has to do with the Director? One can’t just stand there waiting for the door to swing open! No abracadabra hocus pocus magic here, no sir, this is a magic free zone-“

“Ah, is that so? Well, I actually do have an appointment with Director Yoon right about now. Would it be alright if I were to go inside to see him? My name is Kwon Soonyoung by the way. ” Soonyoung says, his tone gentle in an attempt to calm the man.

Instead of doing so, the man responded with a gasp, his eyes widening comically as he started mumbling incoherently, Soonyoung only being able to pick up on phrases such as “Oh no oh no, I’m in trouble for sure-” “Wrong timing, I can’t believe this-“ “Bumzu, you fool, just get on with it-“

“E-excuse me, are you alright?” Soonyoung then asked with concern, his brows furrowed as he examined Secretary Bumzu’s (Soonyoung saw his nametag) current state, since his reaction to the question was rather worrisome.

“Oh! Yes, I’m fine, don’t worry! This is nothing, just a slight mishap is all!” Bumzu responded with a poor attempt at a smile before reaching into his pocket and handing Soonyoung an envelope.

“Now, about Director Yoon…well. His Highness won’t be available today due to some last minute errands that he had to attend to. Do know that the King gives you his sincerest apologies.” he adds before taking a breath and looking at Soonyoung with worry.

“As for the assignment, all the details are in that envelope. Go on, read it and familiarize yourself with everything, it won’t bite. Oh! And if you have any questions or clarifications, you may contact me. My number is written at the bottom of the page, though I cannot assure you that I will respond at once. Director Yoon told me to relay to you that as soon as he finishes his errands, he’ll arrange a meeting to orient you more with your task. But in regards to when you can start, you are to begin the assignment immediately.”

With that, Bumzu pats Soonyoung on the back, hurriedly walking away with his stack of papers, calling out an, “I’m sorry for the short notice on all this but I’m really in a rush! Best of luck to you!”

Once Bumzu was out of sight, Soonyoung purses his lips in thought, doing as what the secretary had instructed him to, which was to read the contents of the envelope. With practiced fingers, he removes the seal, allowing him to open the cover and read the profile of the child assigned to him.

 

_Name: Lee Jihoon_

_Location: Seoul, South Korea_


	2. Adventure Awaits!

It’s been around a week since Soonyoung was given his guardian assignment and ever since then, he’s been busy preparing for the trip. From stuffing multi-colored scarves into his luggage, to packing his essentials (like shampoo, toothpaste, toilet paper, berries, and extra shoelaces), Soonyoung was on a roll.

 

His best friends, Seokmin and Seungkwan, had noticed how preoccupied he had been since then, Soonyoung having declined all of their invitations to hang out, and even missing a few days of dance practice with Minghao, Jun and Dino. The two very well knew of the news though, as they were one of the first ones Soonyoung had told (besides his parents). They also knew how much this opportunity meant to their best friend, so they did everything to support him.

 

“You do know that you’ll never see us again once you get on that train, right Soonyoung?” Seokmin said with a hint of sadness in his voice.

 

The three boys had agreed to just have a group call in order for them not to waste any “moment of friendship” (as Seungkwan dramatically calls it), even if it meant not being able to see each other physically for the meantime.

 

“I do know that, but I also _do know_ that you guys will be dropping me off at the train station later tonight.” Soonyoung said with a chuckle, holding the coconut husk closer to his mouth, a magical glittery wire attached at the back of the shell which connected and served as the telephone line.

 

Oh, the wonders of the fairy realm. Magical and eco-friendly.

 

“The point is, you better take the opportunity to see our beautiful faces now, before I choose to forget yours!” Seungkwan responds with a huff, his tone light and teasing despite him pouting on the other end of the line.

 

There is laughter between the three of them before they decide to meet up at a café (Soonyoung _finally_ said _yes_ ) before taking Soonyoung to the train station.

 

After placing the coconut husk face down, Soonyoung looked up to meet his own reflection at the mirror in front of him. It was only then that he realized he had not paid any close attention to his physical appearance for _days_ (due to all the excitement and preparation; but mostly excitement for this trip).

 

Soonyoung touches the bit of stubble on his chin before deciding that he needed a fresh shave, a good ‘ol shower (the train ride might be long) and perhaps a new hair color with the help of fairy dust? He hums in thought at all this while running his fingers through his light brown locks.

 

 _This was it_. Soonyoung thought to himself.

 

 Just a few more hours left before he’d be on his way to the adventure of a lifetime; the adventure he’d always been looking forward to. Yet even with that, Soonyoung still found himself looking over at his nearby desk, where a piece of paper containing Lee Jihoon’s profile was placed. He had gone over all the details multiple times, like Jihoon’s face and height, how Jihoon was originally from Busan but moved to Seoul, and that Jihoon was now a sophomore at Pledis University, majoring in music. He also took note of Jihoon’s “coffee addiction” (as stated in the profile), to which he had already prepared berry juice and herbal tea as a substitute for the caffeine.

He had also dialled Bumzu previously (via the magical coconut husk phone), in an attempt to ask the secretary if there was anything else he needed to know other than what was given to him in the envelope, but when Bumzu had picked up, he had been in such a hurry (yet again) that the only thing that was mentioned to Soonyoung was,

 

_“You’ll be staying with him!”_

 

Staying with him.

 

Soonyoung had never really stayed with anyone other than his parents, or his friends during their sleepovers. But to stay with someone for a very long period of time, someone he _didn’t_ know, well that made him nervous.

 

What would Jihoon be like? If he’s a music major, will he like dance too? Is he the kind of child that pulls tantrums if they don’t get what they want? Are his parents nice?

 

Soonyoung just smiles to himself, shaking his head at the ridiculousness of it all.

 

Asking all these things wouldn’t really get him anywhere now, would it? All his questions would only be answered when he gets to Seoul, and besides, what’s he doing all this worrying for? He was going to have the time of his life and that was _that._

With an encouraged spirit, Soonyoung removes his shirt carefully, freeing his glass-like wings as he walks over to the bathroom.  

 

 

_Children liked fairies and mythical creatures, so Jihoon wouldn’t mind wings right?_

 

  *********

It’s almost seven in the evening, but the skies still burn in hues of orange and red.

 

The sound of a train arriving is what causes the six friends to break their embrace, their laughter and sniffling being drowned out by the loud screech of the train on the railway tracks. Soonyoung’s nose is red, and so are those of Seokmin and Dino (though he would never admit it).

 

Minghao has a soft but sad smile on his face as he wraps his arm around Jun who is currently sobbing into his shoulder. Seungkwan’s face on the other hand is purely flushed and swollen, the younger boy aggressively wiping his nose with his sleeve as he grabs Soonyoung by the shoulders to shake him.

 

“Don’t you dare have too much fun without us, you piece of shit!” Seungkwan wails, fat tears spilling from his eyes as he embraces Soonyoung once again, tighter this time.

 

Soonyoung can only laugh, reaching out to the rest of his companions as he continues to cry. They all find themselves in another group hug before pulling away.

 

“We’re gonna miss you, hyung.” Minghao says softly, his doe eyes glistening as he holds back tears.

Soonyoung bites his lower lip ( _Damn it, Soonyoung, you can’t keep crying like this_ ) and swallows thickly, his voice cracking when he replies a broken, “I’ll miss you too. I’ll miss you all so much.”

 

“Oh, you better. Or else these communication devices that I took the trouble of getting wouldn’t be useful to any of us.”

 

Six heads turn to where the voice is coming from, only to be followed by loud rambunctious cheers when Jeonghan runs up to them, a smile on his pretty lips as he gives them an embrace each.

 

“It’s good you made it, Jeonghan hyung. We didn’t think you’d be able to see hyung off.”

 

“Oh, Dino, my baby. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Jeonghan replies mischievously, making Dino scrunch his nose and look away in distaste, a frown etched on the younger’s features.

 

The group laughs, and Soonyoung can’t help but realize how much he’d actually be giving up if it meant following his dream. Not only would he be leaving his parents (he also had a tearful farewell with them), but he’d be leaving the friends he grew up with; the friends who he considered as his own flesh and blood.

 

“Seriously though, I wouldn’t let Soonyoung just leave without seeing him. I’ve known this kid for ages.” Jeonghan says as he looks at said boy with a fond smile, as if reminiscing their childhood together.

 

“You took really good care of me, your Highness.” Soonyoung says teasingly, to which Jeonghan rolls his eyes.

 

“Hush. I told you not to call me that around here, I’m not a prince—“

 

“Aw c’mon hyung! If you don’t want your title you can give it to me.” Seungkwan says with a pout, putting his hands together, pleading like a baby.

 

“Are you even worthy of such a title?” Seokmin barks back, to which Seungkwan clutches his chest in a dramatic fashion, gasping as well for effect.

 

“You take that back!”

 

And thus, an argument breaks out between the two (nothing new in this group), and Minghao shakes his head, mouthing “idiots” before turning to Jeonghan, his eyes trailing over the small objects in the older man’s hand.

 

“Hey! You two, enough quarrelling. I have something for everyone…since Soonyoung will be leaving in a bit.” Jeonghan says before trailing off, the entire group’s attention now on him.

 

Everyone’s eyes are full of curiousity when Jeonghan each gives them a diamond, smaller than their pinkies and rose in color.

 

“I got these from my father’s office. Apparently these are what the council use to communicate with each other when they have to monitor…classified activities.”

 

“Wait, so you stole those?” Seokmin asks in shock, his eyes wide as saucers.

 

“Well. Technically yes, but let’s just say I’ve borrowed them temporarily.” Jeonghan says firmly. “And me claiming so means that Soonyoung has no choice but to come back to us or it’s to the dungeons you go!” he adds with a grin, poking Soonyoung’s chest.

 

“Are you kidding me? My life wouldn’t be as great as it is if it weren’t for you guys.”

 

Jeonghan then proceeds to explain how the communicators work, elaborating on how the jewels have to be dropped into any body of water (as fairies are very connected to nature). Just like how video chats work in the human world, doing so would give them access to see each other’s faces and talk, thus allowing them to keep in touch.

 

The boys then hold onto the precious diamonds, keeping it safe with them since it was the only way they would be able to reach Soonyoung while he was on the Other Side. The train lets out a deafening sound of its horn, signalling that it was time for departure. The (now seven) boys give each other a final embrace (amongst the many ones they shared previous to this), Jeonghan ruffling Soonyoung’s silver hair playfully while Dino fixes the scarf around Soonyoung’s neck.

 

“This isn’t goodbye for us alright? This is a see you soon.” Jun tells them all, doing his best to give a smile.

 

  *********

 

Soonyoung waves at his friends through the window of the carriage that he is seated in. As soon as the train starts moving, the remaining boys run after it, as if chasing Soonyoung even if they know they won’t be able to catch up. Soonyoung realizes he’s crying again when he feels warm tears slide down his cheeks.

 

_The idiots are crying too, great._

He can see Minghao giving him a thumbs up, while Jeonghan smiles. Seokmin and Seungkwan look like they’re howling, and Dino is jumping up and down with Jun. He doesn’t stop waving, even if their figures begin to blur; and before he knows it, they’re out of sight.

 

Soonyoung brings his luggage close to him, thankful that no other person shares his carriage with him. From what he knows, it’ll be a two hour train ride. He decides to close his eyes, trying to calm the nerves and butterflies that start to bloom inside his chest and stomach.

 

With puffs of smoke emitting from its chimney, the train increases its speed down the track and the massive golden gates of the fairy realm open with all its majesty, allowing Soonyoung and the other fairy guardians entrance into the Human Realm.

 

*********

 

Soonyoung wasn’t able to sleep very well.

 

He wasn’t used to sleeping on moving vehicles, opting to sleep on a hammock or an actual bed instead back at home. And so, when the train reached the designated stop to Seoul, Soonyoung wiped the grogginess out of his eyes and lifted his luggage, quickly getting out as soon as possible. His entire body was aching and he couldn’t stand not being able to move for too long (considering he was a dancer as well).

 

Much to his surprise, Soonyoung ends up wide awake when he gets onto the platform because in front of him are hundreds, no, _thousands_ of black doors; doors lined up according to number, all of them being supported upright by a wooden stand behind them.  

 

Engraved at the top of each door were numbers, differentiating them from each other.  Soonyoung is left breathless and he looks left and right, watching other fairies enter doors and disappear from plain sight. He remembers to look at his palm where he had written the door number assigned to him; the one written on Jihoon’s profile.

 

_Number 1122_

It takes a while for Soonyoung to find the door, with it being placed around the middle of the entire area. Once he does a once over, double-checking to make sure he located the right one, Soonyoung takes a deep breath, his fingers wrapping around the door knob to twist it and push the door forward.

 

 

It’s dark, very dark inside…whatever place this is.

 

Soonyoung is getting the creeps, goosebumps appearing on his skin as he feels his hairs stand on end. He lets out a scream when something brushes against his shoulder, and he has no idea what it is. It’s much too dark and by now, he’s panicking, quickening his pace to try and get out of wherever the dumb door led him to.

 

“I must’ve gotten the wrong door. This can’t possibly be it. There’s no light, no sign of life. And it’s so cramped-“, Soonyoung gasps out, his heart rate increasing as he does his best to push his way through the items in front of his face, nearly tripping over something that caught his foot.

 

It feels like an eternity (it’s actually been a few minutes but the dark can do things to you, you know) until Soonyoung finally catches a glimpse of light. Relief immediately washes over him and he cries out in joy, dragging his luggage and pulling its weight with all his might. He’s so close, _so so_ close to the light at the end of the tunnel, and so he reaches out and finds his hand pushing on what seems to be…another door?

 

_I’ve made it._

 

Soonyoung grunts and pushes the door open, only to fall painfully flat on his face, his own scarf (and other scarves which don’t belong to him) wrapped around him. He lets out a groan and tries freeing himself of all the extra clothing suddenly thrown on him.

 

Soonyoung is just about done pulling the last scarf off him when—

 

_“Who the fuck are you, and what were you doing in my closet?!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter 2!!! I haven't gotten to proofread this properly since I've been so excited to post and share this with all of you! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. There were hints of Narnia, Monster's Inc., and Harry Potter here, which heavily inspired this chapter.
> 
>  
> 
> Soonyoung and Jihoon will be interacting soon and I can't wait! Again, thank you for reading and your support! I'm also on twitter @ faerieuji where I complain about life and fangasm over seventeen.


	3. A Pleasure to Make Your Acquaintance

Lee Jihoon had just arrived at his apartment after playing a good round of video games with Wonwoo  and Mingyu (technically just Wonwoo, since the friendly giant spent most of his time in the kitchen cooking food for his boyfriend and Jihoon) when he heard a muffled scream and a loud _thud_ come from inside his room.  Jihoon wasn’t the type of person who got scared easily since he didn’t believe in any of the “ _supernatural junk_ ” that he saw on movies and television (e.g.  ghosts, werewolves, and vampires etc.), but Jihoon _was_ realistic, and definitely believed in burglary for that matter.

 

“What the hell?” Jihoon muttered, turning on the lights in the hallway of his flat to get a clear view of his surroundings, only to be met with an empty kitchen and an untouched living room. He puts down his backpack haphazardly onto the floor before grabbing the lamp placed on the living room table, cautiously approaching his room and kicking the door open.

 

What Jihoon sees is what he expects and _does not_ expect; because yes, in front of him is a stranger, but a stranger covered in numerous scarves ( _and are those his sweatpants?_ ). Jihoon follows the trail of messily arranged clothes on the floor, his eyes landing on the opened doors of his closet before turning back to the intruder, who has now managed to remove the scarves covering his vision.

 

 _“Who the fuck are you, and what were you doing in my closet?!”_ Jihoon yells, lifting the lamp in his hand with a vice like grip, his eyes seething with anger.

 

Soonyoung blinks once, twice, clearly confused by the angry boy in front of him ( _Ah, this must be Jihoon_ ) before looking behind himself and realizing that he had indeed just come out of a closet.

 

Good heavens. It’s just like what his upperclassmen had said. Being on the field was definitely different from sitting in the classroom and listening to lectures. There were some things that you would really just learn based on first-hand experience. For instance, no one had ever told Soonyoung about doors from the fairy realm leading into closets--

 

“Well? Are you going to answer me or do I have to smash your brains out with this thing!?”

 

Soonyoung quickly turns back to Jihoon, who has now stepped closer to him, the smaller boy’s brows furrowed as he waits for Soonyoung to speak.

 

“Oh! Uh, I’m Kwon Soonyoung! It’s nice to meet you?” the fairy says with a smile, looking up at Jihoon and reaching out his hand for a shake. _That’s how people formally and properly introduce themselves,_ Soonyoung thinks.

 

Now, Jihoon is just perplexed at this point. Said stranger (who he can now identify as Kwon Soonyoung) has just introduced himself so casually that it seems coming out of his closet wasn’t a big deal. Was he even being taken seriously with the threat he just gave? Jihoon lets out a sigh and pinches the bridge of his nose with his free hand. His eyes hurt from all the video games (curse Wonwoo for beating him at Tekken) and he honestly can’t take anymore bullshit. All he wanted was to get enough sleep before going back to college in a week and yet _this_ happens.

 

“You know what? Screw this. I’m calling the cops—“ Jihoon shakes his head and turns away. He’s about to leave the room when he hears a series of protests behind him.

 

“Oh god, no! Wait! Please! Please don’t call the police, I’m not a bad person, I swear! I-I’m just-“

 

“You’re just what? Some weirdo who magically came out of my closet?” Jihoon turns his head to glare at Soonyoung, the latter clearly in distress as he rubs the back of his nape.

 

“Well, I’m actually…” Soonyoung trails off, sitting up to gesture towards his luggage. “I’m supposed to stay with you.” he finishes, before sending a soft closed-lip smile towards Jihoon. Soonyoung could only hope that the blonde would believe him and his good intentions.

 

Jihoon tries to connect the dots (sort of?), his gaze lingering towards Soonyoung’s luggage and his strange attire (the boy sure likes color, and a lot of it); the crease in his brows disappearing only to be replaced by one of his eyebrows quirking up. “So…are you my flat mate?” he inquires.

 

Soonyoung nods quickly, his smile brightening even more at this, now revealing adorably shaped teeth; a perfect match to his round bunched up cheeks. “Yes! I’m your flat mate! I’m new around here so, I kind of got lost you see.”

 

 _Yeah, lost rummaging through my closet, the fuck?_ The voice in Jihoon’s head mutters.

 

“I didn’t know this was your room, so I really am sorry for intruding, and well shocking you. I really was just making my way around here.”

 

Soonyoung now stands, fixing his own scarf around his neck before picking up all the clothes that had fallen out of Jihoon’s closet; folding them neatly and placing them back inside one by one. Jihoon leans against the doorframe, trying to process everything that’s just happened while observing the boy in front of him. Should he believe this dude? What if he was lying? Regardless of his second thoughts, Jihoon couldn’t deny that there was something genuine about the way the boy spoke, like there was truth to all his words. You could see it in his eyes too. Shakespeare said that the eyes were the windows to the soul, and in all his years of living, Jihoon had never seen such sincere eyes; until now.

 

Jihoon sighs before putting down the lamp, approaching Soonyoung to pick up the rest of the garments. “Hey, don’t worry about these. I’ll take of care it since it’s my mess anyway. You just go get yourself settled in.”

 

Soonyoung’s eyes widen at Jihoon’s words, his mouth shaped into a small “o” as he turns to the shorter male.

 

“Really? Thank you so much. But I uh…actually don’t know where my room is.” Soonyoung replies sheepishly, only to be met by Jihoon’s unreadable gaze. Soonyoung is now both embarrassed from appearing so clueless and also genuinely worried about first impressions because he’s pretty sure Jihoon is confused, irritated and tired (as he observes from the blonde’s tired eyes). He is left speechless when the smaller boy leaves the clothes on top of the bed, taking Soonyoung’s luggage instead as he gestures for Soonyoung to follow him.

 

“Your room is right across mine. It’s this way.”

 

Soonyoung obeys and quickly trails after Jihoon, not failing to reach out in an attempt to try and take his luggage.  Jihoon notices and gives him a glare which makes Soonyoung squeak.

 

As the two walk across the hall, Soonyoung can’t help but look left, right, up and down at _everything_ inside the entire apartment. A lot of the items in the living room were arranged neatly, from the pillows on the couch, to the magazines on the coffee table. It felt quite unlived in. _Shouldn’t Jihoon’s parents be home? Were they still working late?_ Soonyoung allows his fingers to gently graze the handle of the refrigerator that they pass by, the metal surface cold against his touch.

 

 “Never been to an apartment before?” There is a hint of amusement in Jihoon’s voice when he peeks at Soonyoung behind him. Said male now has a flustered expression on his face and his cheeks are flushed in embarrassment, the soft color of blush more evident because of the lights that were turned on in the hallway. Jihoon doesn’t know why he felt the need to ask such a thing, but his new roommate was looking at everything as if it was the first time they were seeing things. It was strange, but also rather endearing. Maybe it was because of how real and innocent Soonyoung’s reactions were.

 

“S-Sort of? We don’t really have apartments… where I’m from.” Soonyoung answers with a chuckle, brushing away the strands of silver hair from his eyes. Jihoon only responds with a hum before pushing the door of the other bedroom open.

 

“Well, this is it. Make yourself at home, I guess.” Jihoon shrugs before moving out of the way to let Soonyoung pass, together with handing the taller male his luggage. “Thank you for bringing my stuff, and for showing me my room.” Soonyoung answers, taking his bag with him inside the room. He’s about to close the door when suddenly--

 

“It’s Jihoon.”

 

“Hm?” Soonyoung says as he peeks through the door.

 

“My name, I mean. My name is Jihoon, and it’s nice to meet you too.” Jihoon remarks flatly, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his black sweats.

 

Soonyoung’s eyes soften as he looks over at the younger male in front of him. Though quite aggressive and intimidating at first, Soonyoung could already sense how kind of a person Jihoon is (as if carrying his luggage for him wasn’t enough proof). He honestly couldn’t wait to guide, protect and get to know the boy better, but for now, the two of them needed sleep.

 

“Jihoon. Thank you, Jihoon for all your help.”

 

“No problem.”

 

Soonyoung shuts the door but not before waving at Jihoon and sending him another smile.

 

The moment the door closes, Jihoon lets out a breath that he didn’t know he was holding. Geez, did Soonyoung know how to smile. Jihoon had never smiled that much in his life. Not to mention, Soonyoung was _glowing_ (how this is possible, Jihoon does not know. Probably some skin care routine.) while he on the other hand, was worn out; worn out beyond repair.

 

Jihoon rubs at his eyes while walking back to his room, plopping down on his own bed and forgetting all about the clothes that needed rearranging.

 

*********

Jihoon lets out a low groan, his back and joints aching as he sits up on his bed. He reaches out for his phone by his night stand, squinting as he takes a peek at the time.

 

_9:00 am_

 

Still too early to function.

 

He’s about to go back to sleep when he hears a loud and irritating squawk outside his room. At first, he thinks he’s just imagining things, but it’s pretty clear that it isn’t a part of his imagination anymore when he hears more squawking, accompanied by a very pleasant voice, singing outside.

 

Irritated (and still exhausted), Jihoon gets out of bed and opens the door of his room. He’s about to yell out some profanities, when a pigeon flies towards him, followed by a number of yellow-green parakeets. Jihoon shouts in anger (one of the parakeets has perched itself on his head) and waves his arms around violently, trying to shoo away the winged-creatures.

 

“Get off!” He hisses, his blonde hair in complete disarray from more parakeets sitting on top of his head. Jihoon huffs and stomps over towards the living room where he finds more animals everywhere. There are cats (black, white, orange- you name it) all huddled over the couch, while a raccoon has settled itself in his sink, munching on an apple. There are also rats scurrying all over the floor and Jihoon feels like he’s about to lose his mind.

 

_And it’s only nine in the morning._

“Good morning, Jihoo-“

 

Jihoon doesn’t hear nor respond to Soonyoung’s greeting, the boy focused on whacking the rats with the broom he was currently holding. “Scram, vermin!” He yells as he hits another rodent, the animal running away in terror, before Jihoon continues waving his broom at all the other living things in the flat.

 

“I said scram! Get out of my apartment!”

 

The cats manage to escape through the open window, together with the rest of the birds (there’s still one parakeet on Jihoon’s head), but the raccoon still remains in its place. Jihoon has just about had it, and has grabbed a kitchen knife to threaten it but Soonyoung stops him.

 

“Jihoonie! Good morning!”

 

_Hold up. Did he just say Jihoonie? Who the hell would call him that--_

“Good morning?! There is nothing good about this morning at all! Didn’t you see all the animals around here? Now look at all this fur that I have to clean up. And feathers!”

 

Soonyoung chuckles as he looks at Jihoon’s tense figure before following the small bird perched on Jihoon’s head.

 

“Well, it’s always a good morning if you can make a friend! I think it likes you.” Soonyoung smiles and points towards the bird.

 

Jihoon hisses and waves his hand at the parakeet, only to have the bird avoid the action and fly into Soonyoung’s open hand, the silver-haired male cooing and petting it.

 

Jihoon thinks it’s the lack of sleep (it _should_ be), but now that it’s daytime, Soonyoung’s glowing even more than he did last night. Jihoon wonders if the sun literally shines out of his ass. It’s too much that he’s blinding and so is that smile of his (he’s smiling at Jihoon now) -- And though Jihoon’s eyes are tired, Jihoon sure as hell isn’t blind, and he knows that Soonyoung is attractive; more than attractive even. From the slope of his nose, to the sharp angle of his jawline, even to the sound of his voice, Soonyoung wasn’t just beautiful. He was ethereal; his beauty not being that of any ordinary person.

 

Jihoon decides to ignore it; ignore his unhelpful and pointless observations because the matter at hand was that there was still a raccoon sitting in the sink and eating his apple.

 

“Well, I don’t like it. Nor do I like _that_ in my sink.”

 

Soonyoung tilts his head, trying to figure out the meaning of the statement before realizing that Jihoon was referring to the raccoon.  Soonyoung quickly gets to work, allowing the bird to fly away while whistling a happy tune before telling the raccoon to “Go home now, off you go!”

 

To Jihoon’s surprise, the animals listen to Soonyoung with no problem at all, which leads him to wondering—

 

“How did they get in here anyway?”

 

Soonyoung fiddles with his fingers, avoiding Jihoon’s questioning gaze.

 

“Well, I woke up this morning and thought of making breakfast but then I thought a little fresh air would be nice! So, I opened the windows and just started singing a tune, and then the birds came flying in and they started singing with me!”

_What was this? A Disney film?_

 

“Well, what about the cats? The rodents? And the raccoon?”

 

“I uh, didn’t really notice them come in since I was busy making our meal.” Soonyoung grins before laughing lightly. “I didn’t know we had a party in here!”

 

“Neither did I.” Jihoon grumbles.

 

“I-I’m so sorry about that by the way. I promise I’ll help clean up! But first, breakfast!” Soonyoung chirps as he hands Jihoon a bowl full of berries.

 

“What are these—“

 

“Berries! They’re good for boys like you.” Soonyoung nods as he eats a handful of berries himself.

Jihoon scrunches his nose and looks at the fruit with distaste before going over to the kitchen to make instant coffee. As he stirs the hot beverage, Jihoon can’t help but notice that the dead cactus perched on the window, was now very much alive in its pot with pink and orange flowers blooming around its prickly, green center.

 

A strange tingling sensation courses itself through Jihoon’s veins and he concludes that this has to be one of the strangest mornings he’s ever had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally! Some interaction between the two! They will definitely have more moments as the story progresses. I really wanted to get a chapter out today (since I finally had time) so I do hope you like it! Also I didn't really get to proof read this much at first (again) since I was so excited to post so I'm sorry for any grammatical errors and such!
> 
> The next chapters (I do hope) will have more detail when it comes to them discovering more about each other, and have more of Soonyoung's POV as well (though i also do enjoy writing from Jihoon's POV!) tbh it's really fun writing from both sides. I can only pray that things go smoothly and don't end up messy aaaa. Anyway, thank you for reading and for being so kind with all your comments and feedback! sending lots of love to you all.


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